Completely Healed!

Charlene Pysanczyn

Her Scripture: 2Corinthians 4:7-18

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 
8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 
9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 
10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 
12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 
14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 
15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 
17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Her Memorial:
Today was the memorial service for Charlene attended by over 600 people, many former students and teaching colleagues.

In fact, the school that she had to leave 2 years ago when diagnosed with cancer, had only 5 teachers there today, all new; the rest, who had worked with Charlene, including the principal and vice-principal, were there. In front of me, was a tall black youth clutching a white rose that he later presented to Charlene's twin sister, Marlene. Two seats from him, a young blonde blew her nose constantly. Across the aisle, another young woman's face grimaced in emotion. I looked up to the balcony section with rows and rows of students allowed to participate, some with turbans, many who had never been inside a Christian church before, the youth termed 'at risk', but deemed 'fearfully and wonderfully made' by God and reinforced by Charlene.

There was only time for 4 people to give tributes to this wonderful woman, all former colleagues, 3 teachers, and one, a principal who called Charlene and Marlene two of the finest teachers he had ever met. She was the encourager. She looked not at the behaviour, but at the need of the heart. As such, her students and colleagues felt loved unconditionally.

The eulogy was given by her close friend, Shyamala and the family testimony by her twin sister, Marlene. I did not know her personally; she knew people I knew, including my husband who visited and prayed for her in the hospital, and my friend, Vickaye, whose daughter was a student ministered to by Charlene. For two years, as a prayer ministry partner, I have read the prayer updates and interceded on her behalf. I grew in awe of both Charlene and her sister, Marlene, who always ended her emails with a blessing, a note of praise. The medical staff who attended her were all amazed at her peace, as was I. The glory of God splashed everywhere she went directly and indirectly. Her life both amazed and convicted me.

Truly, I want to follow hard after God like she did. I want God to splash on to everyone I meet. I want to forge ahead, no matter what gets thrown at me, like she continued to lead a table at Alpha while experiencing horrendous side effects from cancer treatment; like she continued to follow hard after Him even after losing not one, but two of her children.

The Songs:
The first spells out her life: A magnificent obsession with following hard after God.


One Pure and Holy Passion

The second: In Christ Alone speaks of where Charlene found her hope and strength. There was no fear in death, the power of Christ in her!



The final song is the song of victory, You Raise Me Up.

Today Charlene in answer to our prayers is COMPLETELY HEALED in the arms of Jesus!

Her testimony:

Remembering Charlene--a teacher like Jesus

Part 1 of Charlene's story:
She had everything going for her, a wonderful husband, a daughter and son. When her son was 7, her cousin and wife were killed and and they brought their children, another boy and girl, to live with them. Her life was still under her control. No problem really. Then when her son turned 14, after a great football game in which he led his team to victory as quarterback, he fell ill. That night he was diagnosed with meningitis. By morning he was dead. She said, there is no grief like the grief of losing one's child. She discovered for the first time that her life could not be controlled by herself. It was then she started on a journey to knowing God as Christians came to her and shared. 

She said "God's goal is not to make us happy in this life, it is to make us HIS.

"Part 2 of Charlene's testimony: her second encounter with death.
After her conversion to Christ after her son's death from meningitis, her daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer at 15. She bravely endured massive chemotherapy sessions and even went to a camp for children with cancer to encourage them. However, soon after an amazing trip, her daughter succumbed to cancer. The death of one child. Now two. She never wavered in her faith and turned to God even more. Next week, she will speak about how she became tormented about her son and his spiritual state when he died and how God gave her peace.

Part 3 of Charlene's testimony:
After the death of her daughter, Charlene began to be tormented by the question of her son's salvation status. (In part 1, it was after his death that she came to the Lord). For a couple of years, she pondered and searched for the age of accountability and really came up with nothing. She remembered that he had attended a Christian camp, Circle Square Ranch, and casually mentioned it to one of 100 Huntley's hosts during a lunch at a women's conference and the struggle she had. This host, Lorna Dueck, tried to find out and even called the camp. They looked at her son's file but there was nothing to indicate he had given his heart to Christ. Then one day, Lorna called and asked her to share her testimony about how she dealt with her son's death from meningitis on air as there has been an outbreak in a community. At first, she was hesitant but obeyed God's nudging. She showed us a clip of that episode. Four hours before the show started, Lorna had been in touch with Circle Square staff. One of them went to an old shed and found a box with documents. In it was Charlene's son's profession of faith in Jesus. Two hours later, that document was faxed to the station. During the show, it was revealed to Charlene. In shock, she could only respond, "This is an answer to prayer."
A peace pervaded her soul. Never left, even now, in the present.